Alexander davidson



(No Model.) A. DAVIDSON.

TYPE WRITING MAGHINE.

Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. V

ALEXANDER DAVIDSON, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE YOST WVRITING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 550,486, dated November 26, 1895. Application filed September 25, 1888. Serial No. 286,361. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ALEXANDER DAVIDSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Type-W riting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to type-writing machines of the class employing a center guide or directrix, and has for its main objects to improve the construction and operation thereof.

To this end my invention consists in the features of construction of type and guide hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a portion of a type-writing machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the type-guide and a type. Fig. 3 is atop view and vertical section of one form of type with the guide therefor in dotted lines, and Fig. at is a similar view of another construction of type.

In the several views the same parts will be found designated by the same letters and numerals of reference.

A designates the type-ring or top plate of the machine; B, the type bars or carriers; C, the connecting-rods; D, the key-levers; E, the finger-keys; F, the paper-platen, and G the type-bar rest.

2 designates a type guide or directriX, which may be secured in place by means of screw 3.

Type are fitted to the bars B and are adapted to enter the opening 4 in the directrix, so that the type-face may protrude above the same, as seen at Fig. 2.

The type shown at Figs. 1, 2, and 4 are made wholly of metal, and consist of a bed or body 5, rectangular in contour, (to facilitate aligning,) four bevel-flanges or enlargements 6 at the root of the bed or body, a centrallyarranged tapering shank 7, and a letter or character 8. The body is preferably made oblong and the sides are made straight and parallel. The guide adapted to such a type should of course be made with an oblong opening to receive the body. Preferably such guide is made with straight walls 9 near its top to match the sides of the type and afford it a good bearing. The lower portion of the guide is made with flared or beveled walls 10 to. match the beveled flanges or stops on the type. The solid shank of the type is fitted into an eye or socket at the end of the typecarrier. 7

The type shown at Fig. 3 is of similar contour to the type shown in the other figures, and consists of a bed or body 5, the exterior of which is beveled or enlarged toward the base, as at 6, to form stops, a centrally-arranged hollow shank 7, and a rubber type-face 8, formed on a block of rubber 9, which is in serted in a recess or cavity 11 in the bed or body. The guide adapted to this form of type should be made with an oblong opening and preferably with walls tapering to match the sides of the type, as shown by the dotted lines at Fig. 3.

The object of making the enlargements beveled and the lower portion of the guide also beveled is to permit the ready entrance and centering of the type and to prevent the type cutting a shoulder in the guide, and thus avoid all liability of the type getting stuck within the same during the operation of the machine. By providing the type with an enlargement or making the type-body larger at or near its base or below the character to co-operate with a guide having an opening widest or largest at that side at which the type enters, so as to form an abutment or stop for the enlargement, the following desiderata are gained: The type may be more readily assembled or aligned than heretofore, and in writing the movement of the type through the guide is limited, and hence the type cannot go too far and get stuck or wedged, or punch through the paper, or make too heavy an impression thereupon.

In assembling the type they may be fitted loosely on the carriers and driven home or set by giving the finger-keys one or more sharp blows, thus driving the type into the guide, which latter acts as an abutment to the enlargement and serves to fiX the type in posi tion upon the carriers. Although I have shown the type provided with a stop or enlargement on all four sides this is not essential. It may be provided 011 a less number of sides.

As before explained, by making the guide with four straight vertical walls and with outwardly-tapering walls extending therefrom and by making the type with four straight vertical sides to match the vertical walls of the guide the type may more readily enter the guide and are given a longer bearing and better support at the printing moment, avoiding any liability of swaying or tilting, which would destroy the alignment of the writing.

The polygonal form of the guide-opening and the type has certain advantages over a round or circular form and effects a great improvement in the machine. In practice I prefer to make the polygonal opening in the guide and the polygonal bed or body of the type rectangular and oblong. With a poly onal guide-opening and a polygonal type-body the alignment or proper assembling of all of the types of the machine may be performed in a few minutes time. Heretofore two or more hours were required to do this work.

Inasmuch as the guide-opening is located exactly in the center of the radiating typecarriers, (or at the printing-point,) it will be understood that if the type are properly fitted therein before being fastened or fixed for use they will all print properly, or perpendicularly to the line of printing or writing; and it will be further understood that the poly onal form of opening and type enables the type to be quickly and accurately positioned without making nice adjustments and resorting to trials of printing to ascertain whether the type is in proper or perpendicular position, as required heretofore. In the use of an oblong guide-opening and a correspondinglyshaped type-body the best results are obtainable, because it is possible to make only one mistake in assembling the type-namely, that of reversing the type-it being impossible to get the type into the guide in any but this and the proper way. If the type be not put into the guide in a reversed position, no

other mistake can be made, and the type can 7 print in no other than its proper position, or perpendicularly to the line of writing.

By making the guide-opening and type polygonal in form the type is adapted to be maintained in position against turning while printing, and by making the lower portion of the guide-opening beveled or flaring outwardly, as shown, the type is adapted in use to be brought automatically to its proper po sition should it become accidentally loosened and slightly turned in its socket or support.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a center-guide or directrix adapted to admit but a single type at a time and having straight vertical walls and beveled walls, and

a series of type having each straight sides and beveled enlargements to match or correspond with the walls of the guide or directrix; substantially as set forth.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a center-guide or directrix adapted to admit but a single type at a time and having straight vertical walls 9 and outwardly beveled walls 10 extending therefrom, and a series of type having each four straight vertical sides to match the straight vertical walls of the guide or directrix; substantially as set forth.

3. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a type-carrier provided with a type having a polygonal bed or body, and a guide or directrix provided with a polygonal opening corresponding in dimensions with the polygonal bed or body of the type; substantially as set forth.

4. In a type-writin g machine, the combination of a type-carrier provided with a type having an oblong bed or body, and a guide or directrix provided with an oblong opening corresponding in dimensions with the bed or body of the type.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 25th day of July, A. D. 1888.

ALEX. DAVIDSON.

\Vitnesses S. W. VALENTINE, J ACOB FELBEL. 

